Voyager 1 becomes first spacecraft to leave our solar system

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Voyager 1, launched in 1977, is more than 11.66 billion miles from the sun and is now recognized as the first spacecraft to enter interstellar space. Solar storm aftershocks at the edge of our solar system provided confirmation that Voyager 1 made the passage on August 25, 2012.

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More skull-shaped objects on Mars.

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A while back, when NASA video revealed an odd, skull-shaped object (complete with eye and nose holes) on the surface of Mars we figured it was just an unusually-shaped rock. Today a second “skull” (see photo above) has been spotted in Curiosity Rover video in a location known as Sol 482 and this one is…

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Apollo 11 Saturn V rocket engines recovered from floor of Atlantic

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Two of the five Saturn V rocket engines that powered NASA’s July 19, 1969 Apollo 11 rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, has been recovered from the Atlantic ocean floor in an expedition sponsored by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. The rockets, which had a shelf life of only 165 seconds, were jettisoned into the waters…

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NASA’s NEXT ion thruster engine sets new world record

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NASA Glenn has been developing the next generation of ion thrusters for future missions. NASA’s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) Project has developed a 7-kilowatt ion thruster that can provide the capabilities needed in the future. The ion propulsion system’s efficient use of fuel and electrical power enable modern spacecraft to travel farther, faster, and cheaper…

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